Evelyn Kolidas

My journey to the Psychosocial Oncology began many years ago as a teen when my mother was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Her daily struggles with a feared diagnosis (her mother passed away due to cancer) as an immigrant whose culture stigmatizes and hides medical illness affected her profoundly with lasting effects to the present. At the time of my mother’s diagnosis there were few if any support programs, and no programs specifically tailored to the needs of immigrants whose experience of cancer is different in many ways to the prevailing American culture. I decided to pursue a degree in health psychology with the goal of ultimately working with those touched by cancer. In 2003, I formally joined the Psychosocial Oncology Program as a psychology intern to learn how to alleviate the more challenging emotional aspects of living and surviving with cancer and to help improving the quality of life of the ethnically diverse patients and families of New York City where I have grown up. My work as program coordinator for the Psychosocial Oncology Program/BOLD Program has allowed me to meet and work with incredible, dedicated individuals from all backgrounds for our common goal of bringing support, education and resources to those facing cancer and I’m honored to be here and to serve.